OLED, 4K, and more 2014 Input Lag Results

I have another large update for everyone today, continuing my testing of 2014 displays. There are 31 new additions to the input lag database, featuring 4K, 240hz, Plasma, OLED, and many others! Also, you should totally check out the new 2014 Sony KDL-55W950B HDTV, as it is the first HDTV from this year to break our excellent category for input lag! This means it will be suitable for everything you throw at it, whether it’s competitive or casual gaming.

Clicking the links below will send you to their respective product pages on Amazon. Alternatively, you can also visit our input lag database to compare these to other tested displays.

About the author

Adeel Soomro

Adeel Soomro, also known as "Four Wude", has been a competitive Street Fighter 4 player since 2008. Using his extensive gaming experience on a casual and professional level, he aims to spread the awareness of input lag existing in today's displays. Having tested over 300 displays for input lag, he hopes that DisplayLag will aid gamers around the world when purchasing the best HDTV or monitor for gaming.

Are the 4k tv lag results based on a 1080p signal upscaled to 4k by the display? Or is that the lag when using a full native 4k signal?

What I’m getting at, is that I would expect a very serious lag issue from the “upscaling” feature in 4k displays. So I was wondering if the poor 4k performance in your lists is due to upscaling lag, or if the 4k screens tend to just be really slow even in their native resolution?

The lag results are based on a 1080p source being upscaled to 4K. There currently isn’t a way for me to test input lag natively at 4K, unfortunately. Based on the testing I have done so far, I’ve found that input lag isn’t really affected much by display scaling, rather the more intensive processing that is used by manufacturers. It is possible that some of these displays may invoke special processing when a 1080p signal is detected, though there isn’t a way for me to know for sure. It is very unlikely that input lag would be any higher when using a 4K source, however. Sony’s 4K displays have had the lowest input lag numbers out of the ones I have tested with a 1080p source, so other manufacturers can definitely do better in this regard.

Upscaling hypothetically could involve pretty intensive processing for the 4k tv’s. Upscaling involves a form of anti-aliasing and detail representation guesswork… Anti-aliasing alone is very intensive processing work for something as minimally computational as the hardware in a display set.

If images are simply displayed raw at 1080p without a more involved upscaling process, then every pixel of the 1080p image will consist of 4 pixels square of identical light & color across the 2160p screen. Instead they try to smooth things out so that it doesn’t look as pixelated as a 1080p screen, and that involves image processing. LG sets for example have a 4-stage upscaling process to create a more fluid-looking 4k final image from a 1080p signal. The 4k sets have more elaborate upscaling processes than other upscaling schemes in the past.

There are other image lag issues in TV’s of course, like when the tv tries to tweak contrast, or manipulate the backlighting, etc. It’s hard to say how much lag in a 4k screen is coming from the display’s anti-aliased scale processing vs. it’s other processing, without testing it with a native 4k signal. But the fact that pretty much every 4k screen in the world has dramatically more input lag than the 1080p screens, makes me suspect that upscaling *may* be responsible for a great deal of that lag. You could be right that it may be a very minimal part of the lag, or it could be an enormous part of the lag, impossible to say without testing natively at 4k.

It’s really relevant for people who want to game natively in 4k, but are disenfranchised by monitor manufacturers who think 27 inches is a good size for a 2160p signal (it isn’t, ideally 4k monitors should be 40-50 inches, with a pixel density equal to 20-25 inch screens at 1080p).

I completely agree. Right now, I’m just playing the waiting game in regards to native 4K input lag testing. As soon as a convenient method is available, I will be sure to document the differences between 4K and 1080p sources!

Thanks for this !! Its really helpful. Something worth mentioning, the 49″ LG 49UB8500 4K 120hz 3D LED HDTV – 64ms had some real bad reviews but after some updates in August it got a higher rating. The test you ‘ve done is obviously with no update whatsoever so could the input lag has changed to some 4K TVs since the date of test?

Thanks for the heads up! I’m trying to redo some of my previous tests with the newest firmware updates. Haven’t tested any updated LGs just yet, however I have updated some of the Samsung HDTVs with the newer numbers.

Hi, great list.
I just noticed in the LG list, the ones listed as ‘Great’ has (PC) next to it.
does that mean some of the higher input lag models were tested without (PC) mode activated?
I’m thinking of purchasing the LG 60PB6600 and just wanted to know if the 71ms was in PC mode

The (PC) designation means that the input lag was calculated under PC mode. I only post numbers with (PC) if they actually offered reduced input lag over game mode. If the TV offers identical numbers to game mode, I simply post it without the designation to avoid confusion. With LG’s recent WebOS HDTVs, there is a noticeable decrease in latency when you engage PC mode, and set the picture to “Game”.

I’m really interested in hearing how the new Vizio P series did in terms of input lag, being a 4K tv I really don’t have high hopes but it sounds like such a great tv overall, be great if it actually tested well.

I agree, though it’s mentioned in my testing/grading page that all of my 4K results were tested with a 1080p/60hz signal. There currently isn’t a convenient way for me to test input lag at 4K. For those that are concerned about input lag increasing at 4K/30hz, it most definitely will. The input lag will double due to the decreased frame rate.

Hi, I’m planning to get the Xiaomi TV2 4K to hook up to my PC. 4k in Desktop and 1080p when gaming. Should I be expecting worse lag when gaming in non-native? Not sure if the TV has a Game Mode, it’s said to use a LG panel.

I don’t have a way to test input lag natively in 4K just yet, however I don’t expect input lag to be much worse when using a 1080p source. I’ve never handled a Xiaomi TV so I am unsure if it has a game mode option.

Hi I am planning to buy a Sony KD-49X8500B 123.1 cm (49) LED TV
(Ultra HD (4K), 3D, Smart) mainly for Gaming & movies. Have no
budget issues so not worried about the price. But just wanted to know if
this would be the best for my PS4 & blu-ray movies. (I understand
ps4 does not support 4k as of now). Just want to be sure that the
upscaling won’t reduce game quality or increase input lag. Your help
would highly appreciated. Thanks!

I’d very much like to get an OLED tv for gaming and PC use, but finding one with low imputed lag is hard. I can’t find the input lag statistic for most OLED tvs, and the one’s that are listed are usually too high. I’m trying to find one with no more than 30ms, but 20ms or under would be even better.

Things they don’t bloody tell you when buying a 4K screen. I have a nightmare with my LG65LA970V screen. I hate it as nothing I do can sync the sound to my sound system. I can’t delay the sound to match the picture.

I even bough an LG sound all in one DVD system throwing good money after bad and can’t get anywhere near. Can make it a lot worse but not better. Even game mode don’t come close. Wish I kept my projector set up and ditch the crap 4k TV. These should not be sold as they are not fit for purpose. I mean selling as cinema TVs for god sake.

We hear you! We will be extremely active in testing new displays this year. I’ve had the same dilemma with sound sync as well, which unfortunately is also a side affect of high input lag. Have you tried increasing the delay manually on your sound system? You should be able to add around 50-100ms of delay to compensate for the TV lag.